The present invention has numerous applications including container, play structure, and shelter. A typical household often encounters the need for temporary storage of garments prior to washing or cleaning. Regardless of the place where laundry or cleaning is done, either at home or in a commercial setting, soiled garments need to be sorted, stored, and eventually transported to a designated place. The present invention can be utilized for garment sorting, storage and transportation. The present invention can also be utilized as an organizer for various objects. For example, the present invention may be used to organize objects normally found in the trunk of a car. Alternatively, the present invention can also be used for other purposes, such as the storage or transportation of toys or other objects. Further yet, the present invention could be used as a child's play structure or pet den structure. Accordingly, its use is multipurpose as both a container and structure.
Numerous devices are known in the art to provide effective storage of soiled garments, for example laundry baskets, conventional hampers, or clothing bags. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,973 to Weldon et al. teaches a laundry hamper comprising a rectangular frame having upper and lower portions that telescope within one another in a detachable manner. The lower portion includes a base frame, while the upper portion comprises a top frame. A cover is secured by a hinge to the top frame and an outer bag surrounds the rectangular frame. A plurality of small inner bags are provided within the outer bag. U.S. Pat. No. 1,581,888 to Thomas discloses a collapsible receptacle comprising two rectangular wire frames, hingedly secured together, means for holding the frames to form a triangularly shaped structure, and a fabric portion covering the frames and providing an enclosure.
However, all these prior art devices are voluminous in their expanded state, are uneasy to fold or collapse, are still relatively voluminous in their collapsed state, and are difficult to manipulate. The present invention solves the above-mentioned shortcomings and provides a convenient, easy to manipulate, and ergonomic means for storing or transporting garments or other objects.
Other devices are known in the art to be collapsible structures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,385 to Zheng teaches a collapsible play structure. This device forms a large cubicle that children can crawl through. However, each cube of the Zheng device utilizes three (3) frame members, preferably four members, to achieve structural integrity. The present invention may be practiced with as few as two frame members.